Peter Pan Goes Wrong (2016)

Peter Pan Goes Wrong is a comedy play by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, and Henry Shields of the Mischief Theatre company, creators of The Play That Goes Wrong (2012).

Premise

The fictitious Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society attempts to stage a production of the 1904 J. M. Barrie play Peter and Wendy, which is repeatedly ruined by the amateurism and personal rivalries of the cast and crew and the insistence that the director believes it is a serious play rather than a pantomime.

Production history

London

The play made its premiere at the Pleasance Theatre in London in December 2013 before touring the UK in 2014. The production transferred to the West End in London at the Apollo Theatre for a Christmas season run in 2015, running from 4 December 2015 to 26 February 2016. It featured the original cast of The Play That Goes Wrong reprising their cast and crew characters from the original production, with the addition of Daisy Waterstone as Robert's niece Lucy.

It returned to the Apollo Theatre the following year for another Christmas season run from 21 October 2016 to 29 January 2017, making it the third show running in the West End from the Mischief Theatre Company after The Play That Goes Wrong and The Comedy About A Bank Robbery.

Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity benefited from royalties of the play, in accordance to the terms of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 which granted them a right to royalty in perpetuity from adaptations of the story of Peter Pan on stage, publication and film in the UK.

UK tour

It was announced in April 2019 that the show would embark on a UK Tour starting in October 2019 at The Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham before visiting Cardiff, Cambridge, Brighton, Salford and stopping in London at the Alexandra Palace for a Christmas run from 13 December 2019 till 5 January 2020.

North American premiere

It was announced in January 2022 that the show would have its North American premiere starting 8 September 2022 at The Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta with an all Canadian cast. The show ran from 26 February to 20 March 2022.

It was then announced in August 2022 the show would play at The Arts Club Theatre Company in Vancouver, British Columbia with the same cast. The show ran from 8 September - 16 October 2022.

Broadway

It was announced on 5 January 2023 that the show would transfer to Broadway at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre for a limited sixteen and a half weeks beginning 17 March 2023, with an opening night set for 19 April 2023, featuring the majority of the original cast. On 3 April 2023 it was announced that Neil Patrick Harris would be joining the cast for a limited engagement. On 8 June 2023, it was announced Ellie Kemper would join the cast for a limited engagement.

After the conclusion of its limited engagement, the production had its West Coast premiere in Los Angeles, California at the Ahmanson Theatre for another limited five weeks, once again featuring the majority of the original Mischief cast. Performances began 8 August 2023 with an opening night of 11 August and special guest Bradley Whitford as the Narrator until 20 August. On 30 August, Daniel Dae Kim took over as the Narrator until 10 September. On 25 August a one-week extension was announced with Neil Patrick Harris returning to the role of Francis until its official closing night of 17 September 2023.

Television special

The play was adapted into a one-hour television special which was broadcast on 31 December 2016 on BBC One, guest-starring David Suchet as the narrator, and featuring the original cast, with the exception of Rob Falconer. It was filmed in front of a live audience at dock10 studios and featured additional footage of other BBC television sets being accidentally invaded.

Roles and principal casts

Casts

Replacements

BBC Broadcast (2016)

Narrator: David Suchet

West End (2016)

Jonathan Harris/Peter Pan: Orville Peck (as Daniel Pitout)

Broadway (2023)

Francis Beaumont/Narrator: Neil Patrick Harris, Ellie Kemper

Dennis Tyde: Bartley Booz (Previews)

Los Angeles (2023)

Francis Beaumont/Narrator: Bradley Whitford, Daniel Dae Kim, Neil Patrick Harris

Characters

Trevor Watson, Peter Pan's head technician

Chris Bean, Peter Pan's director and also plays Mr. Darling and Captain Hook

Robert Grove, Peter Pan's assistant director and also plays Nana, the Shadow, and Gentleman Starkey

Max Bennett, plays Michael Darling and the Crocodile

Francis Beaumont, plays the Narrator and Cecco

Sandra Wilkinson, plays Wendy Darling

Dennis Tyde, plays John Darling and Smee

Annie Twilloil, plays Liza, Mrs. Darling, Tinker Bell, and Curly

Jill, a technician and EMT

Jonathan Harris, plays Peter Pan

Lucy Grove, plays Tootles and is Robert's niece

Awards and nominations

Original London production

BBC broadcast

Original Broadway production

Reception

Peter Pan Goes Wrong received positive reviews, including WhatsOnStage.com rating it five out of five stars.

The original West End run was nominated for the 2016 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy but lost to Nell Gwynn.

See also

The Play That Goes Wrong

The Comedy About a Bank Robbery

Noises Off

References

External links

Official UK tour site

Official Broadway site